Since 1998, the Enchanted Forest rave parties have been an eagerly awaited event for thousands of people around South Australia. The excitement of secret venues, fabulous line ups and fantastic production values that has seen it be awarded party of the year time and time again. DJ Devious aka Chad Bergman and DJ MPK aka Daniel Michael are the promoters behind Enchanted Forest, and this year sees a bit of a change from the usual format of an all night rave at a ‘secret location’ in the middle of nowhere, which has been the par for the course over the last 8 years. This year the party will be held at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds in Wayville, starting at midday and progressing until 11pm.
“There are a lot of reasons we chose to do a day party”, Michael says. “Night Parties were good at the time we started, but we always try and find the best venues and they’re becoming harder to find. The Showgrounds are safe, have good parking, no dust but lots of grass, public transport and decent, reliable power for sound.” “And good toilets. Everyone hates portaloos,” Bergman chimes in. “And we can put on a lot more acts during the day,” continues Michael. “We’ve been to a few interstate parties, and culturally they’re no different to what we’ve been doing here, and they have successful day parties all the time.”
“We’ve got a totally blacked out room for people who like the dark”, he smirks, “and they can always wear sunglasses,” adds Bergman, chuckling. “We’ve heard of people booking hotel rooms who are planning on going to go to Enchanted, then one of the after parties, and that’s a lot safer than having that long, horrible drive at 5 or 6am. I do get worried about what can happen on the roads at that time of the morning,” Michael adds. “I think three quarters of the people are going to like the idea, and maybe a quarter won’t, but what’s important is that people will be enjoying themselves.”
Enchanted has had its fair share of controversy, mainly because of the decision in 2003 to begin pill testing after suggestion from Dr Caldicott of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It was a safety issue that the promoters felt strongly about, they were being briefed by a doctor, “and who are we to argue with a trained professional!” exclaims Michael. Other parties had pill testing, and the police generally turned a blind eye to it, until 2004 when the Advertiser had a slow news day and ran an “expose” and the dangers of raves and drugs. The police then had to take an interest “but they were just doing the job, I guess” Michael points out democratically.
He saves his anger for the press. “They’d ring me up for an interview at 6pm, and then the same people would ring up with the same questions at 7am the next morning. I’d be working all night DJing, and they would wonder why I’d be grumpy and refuse to answer their questions!” But furthermore Michael and Bergman had facts on their side. No one has ever died at Enchanted. Reports from previous Enchanted’s from police and first aid, who they get together with after every party, were quite minimal. “A Royal Adelaide Hospital report from a few years earlier showed that people were twice as likely to end up at hospital during a test match than during our raves!” the previously jovial Bergman says seriously. “Cricket is more dangerous!”
But both Michael and Bergman wish to steer away from controversy. “What’s important is people enjoying themselves in a safe environment, not what some middle age conservative journalist who has never been to a rave thinks.” To facilitate that fun, this year sees Peter Coomb join the ranks of DJs and MCs. An odd choice, perhaps, but Michael is correct when he says many ravers grew up with Coombs, and know his music as well as the latest from Pendulum or Keven Energy. “It’s so people will have a laugh,” he smiles. “I saw him at O’Ball and Shutzenfest and he rocked it. Absolutely rocked it!”
Even though the planning of Enchanter begins as soon as another is over, Michael and Bergman take it one party at a time. Though this is a day party essentially in the city, they don’t rule out having another ‘secret venue’ party in the future, and it’s certainly not the death of outdoor parties. “We’ve got Ultraworld in the Outback early next year,” they grin, although they hasten to add with a chuckle “good venues don’t grow on trees”.
Enchanted kicks off at the Adelaide Showgrounds on Sat 9 Dec and features a stellar line up including Peter Coomb, Pendulum, Tomcraft, Kosheen, Steve Hill, Keven Energy, Goldie, Jon B, Chicken Lips, CJ Boland and heaps more!